GitLab Moving Off Azure and to Google Cloud After GitHub Sale to MicrosoftGitLab is changing cloud providers and moving from Microsoft Azure to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) weeks after Microsoft announced plans to purchase open source code repository rival GitHub. GitLab’s GCP Project Manager Andrew Newdigate, said the move was prompted by the company’s desire to take advantage of the Kubernetes container orchestration platform. “Google invented Kubernetes, and [Google Kubernetes Engine] GKE has the most robust and mature Kubernetes support,” Newdigate explained in a blog post. “Migrating to GCP is the next step in our plan to make GitLab.com ready for your mission-critical workloads.” GitLab says the migration will be a smooth failover from Azure to Google's cloud on July 28th. (GitLab, SDXCentral, The Register)

New Windows 10 Flaw Uncovered That Could be Exploited to Run CodeWindows 10 PCs are at risk for a vulnerability that could allow hackers to exploit a file format to bypass key system defenses in the OS. Security firm Specter Ops uncovered .SettingContent-ms, a file type that could be used to run arbitrary and potentially dangerous code by getting a user to open a Word document containing the embedded file. Neither the built-in Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) protections nor the Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) defenses Windows 10 offers with its Windows Defender stopped the code from being executed, according to Specter Ops. Although the firm reported the finding to Microsoft in February, it claimed the software giant didn’t feel the issue warranted servicing. Specter Ops researcher Matt Nelson suggested users do the following to avoid being exploited: "Ultimately, a .SettingContent-ms file should not be executing anywhere outside of the "C:\Windows\ImmersiveControlPanel" path,’’ he advised. “Additionally, since the file format only allows for executing shell commands, anything being run through that file is subject to command line logging," TechRepublic reported. (TechRepublic)

New Typeframe Malware Developed by North Korean Hacking Group DiscoveredThe U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) has issued a warning about newly uncovered malware developed by a North Korean hacking group called Hidden Cobra, which is also known as the Lazarus Group. US-CERT’s report on Typeframe identifies 11 pieces of malware consisting of Windows executable files and a Word document containing malicious Visual Basic macros. Hidden Cobra/Lazarus is believed to also be responsible for the WannaCry ransomware outbreak, an $80 million cyber bank heist in Bangladesh via SWIFT and the 2014 Sony Pictures hack. The Typeframe report is the 12th malware family US-CERT is tying to the Hidden Cobra group and includes destructive malware and tools for carrying out distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. (ZDNet)

Intel CEO Resigns Over Consensual Relationship With EmployeeIntel CEO Brian Krzanich has resigned after an investigation into what he said was a consensual relationship with an employee that went against company policy. Robert Swan, Intel’s chief financial officer was named the interim CEO. Krzanich was CEO for five years and had embraced 5G technology, artificial intelligence and autonomous driving. Swan has been Intel’s CFO since October 2016 and leads the global finance, IT, and corporate strategy organizations. “Intel’s transformation to a data-centric company is well under way and our team is producing great products, excellent growth and outstanding financial results,’’ Swan said in a statement. “I look forward to Intel continuing to win in the marketplace.” Intel’s board has begun searching for a permanent replacement. (VentureBeat, Intel)

U.S. Net Neutrality Rule Expires, Here’s How it Will Impact YouOpen internet rules in the U.S. have expired and internet providers have the power to block, throttle or offer paid “fast lanes” for web traffic. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) repealed the 2015 Obama administration rules on net neutrality in December 2017 by a 3-2 vote. That order required internet providers to adhere to strict FCC regulations that they engage in “just and reasonable conduct.” Opinion polls showed overwhelming public support for net neutrality rules. Some states have taken matters into their own hands. In March, Washington State passed a bill into law prohibiting telecom providers from blocking content and throttling traffic, and in May, the California State Senate followed suit. Over two dozen other states, including Maryland, Connecticut, and New York, are considering net neutrality legislation of their own. Meanwhile, internet providers including AT&T, Verizon and Comcast have said they won’t block or slow down content. But consumer advocacy groups say they are concerned providers will sell subscription bundles of websites, similar to cable packages, which could lead to lower-priced plans with access to only a small selection of websites (Reuters, VentureBeat)

Apple Closes Developer Data LoopholeApple has changed rules about how developers use information about iPhone owners’ contacts in an effort to crack down on use of data without people’s consent. The rule changes a practice that has been in effect for years with developers requesting user access to phone contacts and then using it for marketing purposes or selling the information without permission from the users’ contacts. The practice has been used on both Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android smartphone operating systems. The lack of consent to use data was what caused an uproar over revelations that a Facebook developer gave information on millions of people to political consultancy Cambridge Analytica. Apple was critical of the social network’s lapse and announced new privacy updates to safeguard user data. (Bloomberg/Quint)

Microsoft’s $7.5 Billion Purchase of Open Source Community GitHub is its Biggest EverMicrosoft has announced it is spending $7.5 billion to acquire open source coding platform GitHub. It’s the software giant’s largest acquisition since buying LinkedIn for $26.2 billion two years ago. GitHub is a community of over 28 million developers who collaborate on code, post solutions people can use and network with other coders. “From the largest corporations to the smallest startups, GitHub is the destination for developers to learn, share and work together to create software,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in a blog post. It’s a destination for Microsoft too. We are the most active organization on GitHub, with more than two million ‘commits,’ or updates, made to projects.” GitHub will remain an open platform, which any developer can plug into and extend, Nadella said. Developers will continue to be able to use whatever programming languages, tools and operating systems they want for their projects – and will still be able to deploy their code on any cloud and any device, he said. Experts say the deal could mean Microsoft is working to cater more to developers with open-source tools. (The Verge, Microsoft)

Some name

Esther Shein is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in several online and print publications. Previously she was the editor-in-chief of the online technology magazine Datamation. She was also a senior writer at eWeek (formerly PC Week) magazine for several years. She is a member of the Internet Press Guild (IPG). She can be found on Twitter @eshein.